Vice President Leni Robredo. SCREENGRAB FROM YOUTUBE
As former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno鈥檚 fate was finally sealed, Vice President Leni Robredo urged Filipinos to defend what remains of the country鈥檚 democracy.
Robredo issued the statement on Tuesday after the Supreme Court (SC) voted 8-6 to declare Sereno鈥檚 ouster as Chief Justice as permanent.
Sereno was ousted through a quo warranto proceeding sought by Solicitor General Jose Calida.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte publicly declared her as his enemy after she accused the Chief Executive of having a hand in the quo warranto case. Duterte also urged his allies in Congress to fast-track an impeachment case against her.
Duterte denied any involvement in the filing of the quo warranto petition.
搁贰础顿:听SC rejects Sereno ouster appeal
The finalization of Sereno鈥檚 ouster was 鈥渋ndeed a dark moment for our republic and all of us who聽aspire for the rule of law,鈥� Robredo said.
The vice president said that Filipinos must find within themselves 鈥渁n unquenchable fire of resolve鈥� during this 鈥渄arkest of days.鈥�
鈥淲e must stand firm for a聽nation where [the]聽law is an instrument for achieving fairness聽and justice, and not a weapon for justifying spite and聽legitimizing oppression,鈥� Robredo said.
鈥淲e must commit ourselves to聽defend what remains of our democracy, and to rebuild聽what has been cast down. We will remember today. And in that remembrance, we will聽find the strength to fight on,鈥� she said.
An outraged public, Robredo lamented, may feel that 鈥渏ustice is well and truly dead, with the Constitution聽nonchalantly cast aside by those who should have been its聽foremost guardians.鈥�
鈥淏ut in our rage and grief, we聽cannot give in to despair, for this is but one of the many聽battles that we must fight for our democracy, and for the聽people, it is intended to serve,鈥� she stressed. /cbb